Money Can Buy You $75,000 Worth of Happiness

Money can buy you $75,000 worth of happiness, reported the National Academy of Sciences last September.

In a survey of 450,000 Americans in 2008 and 2009, participants were asked about their emotional state and overall feelings about their life. Then, their answers were compared to their household income.

In general, happiness increased with income, the study concluded. Those who made over six figures gave their lives higher marks. But in day-to-day contentment, they found, folks with six- and seven-figure salaries were no happier than those making only $75,000.

What does this mean for travel writers and photographers?

Well, first, if you’re not yet making $75,000 or more, both travel writing and photography are great side careers that can help you boost your income without quitting your day-job.

You can sell articles and photos about your hometown on weekends and in the evenings after work. Or you can do it solely and completely on your vacations when you take time off from your regular job.

Making the leap to do it full-time isn’t something you need to decide right away.

We’re meeting in just a few weeks in Chicago to take 96 of your fellow readers through the process of writing travel articles and selling them to magazines, newspapers, and websites across the globe.

We’ll have a session on selling your photographs to local magazines and newspapers in Chicago, too.

No matter your choice, keep this in mind: The biggest obstacle most new travel writers and photographers face is getting started.

Set a reminder for yourself this weekend to spend just 30 minutes taking the first step. If you’re interested in travel writing, think of a story idea you could write locally. If you’re interested in photography, get out and take pictures.

Or you can meet us in person and we’ll take you through it by the hand. Click here for more information about our upcoming workshops.

When you join us at The Ultimate Travel Writers Workshop, your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed. If you come the first day and decide that travel writing isn’t for you, you can simply let us know before the cocktail party that night and we’ll refund your money. The rest of the weekend is yours to hang out and explore.

[Editor’s Note: Learn more about opportunities to profit from your travels (and even from your own home) in our free online newsletter The Right Way to Travel.]